diff --git a/ansible/roles/test/tasks/restart_syncd.yml b/ansible/roles/test/tasks/restart_syncd.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1f6b48735fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/test/tasks/restart_syncd.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+- name: look for core files under /var/core
+  become: true
+  find:
+    path: /var/core/
+    file_type: file
+  register: core_files_before
+
+- debug: msg="{{ core_files_before.matched }} - {{ core_files_before.files }}"
+
+- name: Stop syncd process
+  shell: docker exec -i syncd /usr/bin/syncd_request_shutdown --cold
+
+- name: Wait 10 seconds for syncd to quit
+  pause:
+    seconds: 10
+
+- name: Look for syncd process
+  shell: pgrep "\<syncd\>" -a
+  register: syncd_out
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- debug: msg="{{ syncd_out.stdout_lines }}"
+
+- fail: msg="Syncd is still running?"
+  when: 
+    - ({{ syncd_out.stdout_lines | length }} > 0)
+
+- name: look for core files under /var/core
+  become: true
+  find:
+    path: /var/core/
+    file_type: file
+  register: core_files_after
+
+- debug: msg="{{ core_files_after.matched }} - {{ core_files_after.files }}"
+
+- fail: msg="Found new core(s) under /var/core/"
+  when: 
+    - ({{ core_files_after.files|length > core_files_before.files|length }})
+
+- name: Restart swss service
+  become: true
+  service:
+    name: swss
+    state: restarted
+
+- name: wait for 2 minutes for swss service to recover
+  pause:
+    seconds: 120
+
+- name: check basic sanity of the device
+  include: base_sanity.yml
+  vars:
+     recover: false
+
+- name: validate all interfaces are up
+  include: interface.yml
+  vars:
+     recover: false
+
+- name: Restart dhcp_relay service
+  become: true
+  service:
+    name: dhcp_relay
+    state: restarted
diff --git a/ansible/roles/test/vars/testcases.yml b/ansible/roles/test/vars/testcases.yml
index eb6f7bdfd42..98193332390 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/test/vars/testcases.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/test/vars/testcases.yml
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ testcases:
       filename: restart_swss.yml
       topologies: [t0, t0-64, t0-64-32, t0-116, t1, t1-lag, t1-64-lag, ptf32, ptf64]
 
+    restart_syncd:
+      filename: restart_syncd.yml
+      topologies: [t0, t0-64, t0-64-32, t0-116, t1, t1-lag, t1-64-lag, ptf32, ptf64]
+
     sensors:
       filename: sensors_check.yml
       topologies: [t0, t0-64, t0-64-32, t0-116, t1, t1-lag, t1-64-lag, ptf32, ptf64]